Bruno Mars certainly sees the funny side to all those rumors about his finances.
As you may remember, claims circulated back in March that Bruno had racked up over $50 million in gambling debt at the Park MGM Las Vegas, where he has a long-term residency.
The whole thing started with a NewsNation report, in which a “well placed Vegas insider” claimed that the singer — who’s worked with MGM for over eight years — was in so much debt that the casino “basically” owned him.
The Vegas source claimed that Bruno was being paid $90 million from the residency but that the large majority of his earnings were going towards paying off his gambling debts. “[He will] only make $1.5 million per night after taxes,” the report alleged.
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Given that Bruno is known to play poker, the rumors didn’t take long to gain traction online. However, the claims were soon debunked when a spokesperson for MGM Resorts International told BuzzFeed that “he has no debt” with the company.
“We’re proud of our relationship with Bruno Mars, one of the world’s most thrilling and dynamic performers,” the statement began. “From his shows at Dolby Live at Park MGM to the new Pinky Ring lounge at Bellagio, Bruno’s brand of entertainment attracts visitors from around the globe.”
It continued: “MGM and Bruno’s partnership is longstanding and rooted in mutual respect. Any speculation otherwise is completely false; he has no debt with MGM. Together, we are excited to continue creating unforgettable experiences for our guests.”
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Today, Bruno is back in the limelight and enjoying the success of his latest duet with Lady Gaga, “Die With A Smile,” which just debuted at No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100.
The song’s music video — in which the pair perform on a retro set in matching blue outfits — inspired a TikTok trend where fans mimic Gaga’s slow-motion dance moves. And this week, Bruno shared a few of the fan-made creations to his Instagram Story, including one that joked about the debt rumors.
As you may have seen, the song sparked a number of online jokes about the two hitmakers coming together for a duet that’d help dig Bruno out of his supposed debts. So, the fact that he reposted one of them certainly didn’t go unnoticed by fans.
“That man doesn’t give a single damn about what anyone says LMAO…Unbothered king,” one user responded to a screenshot of Bruno’s Instagram Story that was posted to X and currently has over 190,000 likes.
“King with sense of humour,” agreed someone else, “who doesn’t love it.”
Others noted that his post was made even funnier because the debt rumors had already been debunked, writing: “Knowing too well he’s not in any debt and is just picking on people is so hilarious.”
“I love how he just accepted the fact that he won’t be able to convince people that casino debt rumor was false,” joked another user.
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For what it’s worth, Bruno previously admitted he’s unfazed by all the chatter about his finances and alleged gambling habits. During an interview with the Las Vegas Review-Journal in June, the 24k Magic singer said: “I love the lore that I am a Las Vegas lounge singer in debt to the mob… I can work with that.”
Good for you, Bruno.
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